OUTFIT IDEAS FOR THE FIRST DAY BACK AT WORK

Fashion

Back to life, back to reality. Here are the outfits to get you through.

Ingolstadt Village

Back to the office after a summer of smelling the roses and sipping on ice-cold rosé? We can help ease your work style dilemma. Put first-day jitters firmly to rest with four polished styles to pick from.

1.

SOMETHING TAILORED

Stand out in a sea of black and beige with a pastel trouser suit. Not just reserved for Fashion Week frequenters, the new style of suiting is a little more playful – yes, you can pair different shades and fabrics (think cotton and satin together) – but still polished. The secret to long-lasting wear is all in the way you style it.

Style it with: A printed T-shirt peeking through – it’s best to leave the jacket unbuttoned – and box-fresh trainers.

2.

SOMETHING THAT SHIMMERS

Say it with sparkles, sequins or beads. An embellished top should be part of your working week repertoire. Why? Because you need a dopamine boost that doesn’t involve caffeine or chocolate, or pretzel sticks dipped in peanut butter, that’s why. Fear not: daytime embellishment can be done with finesse. Go for a cashmere sweater saturated with beads or tailored shorts accented with sparkling sequins.

Style it with: Your cashmere sweater is best tucked into a ribbed second-skin skirt and teamed with flatforms for chic workwear appeal, while the shorts should be paired with a fitted camisole top and a loose-fit blazer.

3.

SOMETHING HERITAGE

From Burberry’s homage to heritage to Balenciaga’s take on gingham, heritage checks have been flooding the catwalks for months, and if you are yet to embrace them, now is the time. Try a cropped-sleeve checked dress with a round neck and a flared hem for a feminine but fuss-free first-day look.

Style it with: Suede mules with a pointed toe to add a little edge to your look.

4.

SOMETHING GAME-CHANGING

If you want to turn heads on day one then colour blocking is the name of the game. But remember this is the advanced painting-with-colour class. Instead of reaching for every shade of the rainbow, stick to two-tone pieces or balancing a cool shade, such as grey, with a warm tone (orange or mustard) – both have more grown-up appeal. Try a chiffon maxi dress in different shades of yellow with a split hem – imagine the swoosh appeal – as the perfect antidote to grey days spent collating spreadsheets.

Style it with: A navy blazer and cut-out leather calf-length boots with a chunky heel – from the likes of Chloé – or a Western-inspired lace-up pair to balance it perfectly.